Gravenhurst Mayor Heidi Lorenz says we must trust that Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) has picked the best spot for the new South Muskoka Memorial Hospital.
In Dec. 2022, MAHC announced that 300 Pine St. in Bracebridge would be the landing spot for the new hospital.
“I think, overall, I believe it is a suitable site for the care of the people of Gravenhurst,” says Lorenz.
Pine St. was chosen despite 1975 Muskoka Beach Rd. being announced as the preliminary preferred site for the hospital in Bracebridge in April 2023.
“I think [the Muskoka Beach Rd. property] would have been a little closer to home as far as how the crow flies, but I’m not sure it would be any faster,” comments Lorenz.
She points out how the property on Pine St. has access to a lot of things not available currently along Muskoka Beach Rd., notably transportation infrastructure like sidewalks.
“MAHC did a lot more work than we did at the town level and we have to trust they’ve done their homework and are suggesting the best site,” says Lorenz.
While the new hospital in Bracebridge has to be built on new land, the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital will be built on Frank Miller Dr. at the same location as the current hospital.
As part of the redevelopment project, MAHC needed to get commitments from area municipalities to pay the $225 million local share bill. That goal was reached in Oct. 2023, including a contribution from Gravenhurst. However, of those who committed money, Gravenhurst is putting forward the least at $1 million.
“From my standpoint, we are contributing,” says Lorenz.
When the commitment was approved in Aug. 2023, Scott Lucas, Gravenhurst’s chief administrative officer, pointed out how some Gravenhurst residents use the Royal Victoria Regional Hospital in Barrie and Orillia Soliders Memorial Hospital and the municipality may be asked to support them, too.
With the hospital redevelopment project approaching the second of four phases, MAHC has scheduled more community meetings to discuss where things stand. MAHC officials say the second part of the plan involves “detailed planning.”
“I think it’s important for Gravenhurst residents to go and have their say,” says Lorenz.
There are six in-person sessions, including one in Gravenhurst at 7 p.m. on Jan. 30 at the Gravenhurst Centennial Centre. There are also two virtual sessions at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 2 and 7 p.m. on Feb. 5.
